FAQs | black-shield-imports

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. How do I know if a vehicle is legal in the U.S.?

"If a motor vehicle was manufactured to comply with all applicable FMVSS, and bears a label certifying such compliance that was permanently affixed by its original manufacturer, there is no need for NHTSA approval before the vehicle is imported. However, the manufacturer would have to submit to the agency information identifying it and the products that it manufactures that are subject to our standards no later than 30 days after manufacturing begins. In addition, the manufacturer would have to submit to us information necessary to decipher the VIN that it must assign to each motor vehicle it manufactures for sale in the U.S. If the vehicle manufacturer is not located in the U.S. the manufacturer must also designate a U.S. resident as its agent for service of process. If the vehicle is less than 25 years old and was not originally manufactured to comply with all applicable FMVSS, and/or was not so certified by its original manufacturer, it cannot be lawfully imported into the U.S. on a permanent basis unless NHTSA determines it eligible for importation."

Black Shield Imports focuses on importing vehicles under the 25-year rule established by NHTSA. Our inventory will always be compliant with current laws. We strongly recommend not purchasing gray-market vehicles from anyone, even though such vehicles are easily available through less reputable dealers or private sellers. Vehicles imported from Japan should be acompanied by an oficial Japanese de-registration certificate showing the date of first registration. Although this helps determine the age of the vehicle, a more accurate date to obtain is the date of production. The de-registration certificate will not always provide the production date, but a dealer should be able to provide the production date by performing a VIN decoding inquiry. Buyer's should always ensure the vehicle they are being sold is completely legal before purchasing.

2. Can I inspect the vehicle in person before buying it?

This is absolutely encouraged. Some importers only source the car for you. While this is an option, there is never any guarantee you get what you expect. Black Shield Imports uses a variety of reliable sources to find the best available inventory in the current market. Prior to importing, we submit each vehicle to an inspection and perform maintenance and repairs as needed by Japanese Certified Mechanics prior to importing them. This helps us offer our buyers with quality vehicles. Even after receiving our inventory we carefully inspect each car to ensure they are worthy of belonging to our customers. We will not sell something we wouldn't want to have ourselves.

We are always standing by for requests to come see and test drive our vehicles. Even if you don't plan on buying a car yet, feel free to come by and test drive a few different models. It might help you decided what to get once you are ready. We'll do our best to provide you with all the answers you require to help you in your quest to purchase a JDM vehicle.

3. Are all the cars you advertise on your site located in your showroom?

We post pictures and information about our inventory only after they have been inspected by our team in Japan. While it takes 3 to 5 weeks for the inventory to arrive, we understand that interested buyers need time to plan before making the trip to the showroom to perform a test drive. We believe it gives our customers an advantage to have all the information available to them in advance, so that when the cars do arrive in our showroom our customers have had the time to ask questions, view pictures, and research the car prior to planning a visit.

4. Are your vehicles sold with a warrantee or service contract?

All vehicles are sold AS-IS. Ensure you recieve a Buyer's Guide from the dealer you purchase your car from. Never take a dealer's word for it when they promise a repair or modification to your car. If such a promise is made you should receive a We-owe-you form from that dealer detailing the work that is to be performed to the car after purchase. A reputable dealer will go through great lenghts to ensure each vehicle in its inventory is perfectly functional and worthy of a customer's time and money.

5. What can I expect when I visit your showroom?

If an appointment is made you can expect your vehicle to be prepped and ready for your test drive. We will be expecting you and you will be expecting our undivided attention, and that is what you'll get. If you are flying in from out of town we will be there waiting for you at the airport. If you need help coordinating reservations at a hotel we can help with that too. Whatever it takes to make your trip worth it, that is what we will do. Our goal is to make your experience as enjoyable as possible, and ultimately leaving with a smile on your face as a satisfied customer of ours. At Black Shield Imports we will coordinate shipping of your vehicle if that is what is most convenient. In order to save our customers the most amount of their money, we will look for the best deal on shipping to your home by only reputable and reliable automotive transport companies.

6. What if I don't see what I'm looking for?

Some vehicles are extremely difficult to find - at least in the condition we feel comfortable with (best quality only). However, we never quit looking when a customer really wants a specific model. If this is the case for you, and you don't see what you want in our inventory, give us a call or send us an email, or you can fill out the Acquisition Request Form on our site. Give us all the details you feel necessary and we will go to work with our team in Japan to find the car you desire. Once we find it we will send you pictures, information, and the sale price for that vehicle. If it ends up being exactly what you want we will complete the importation process and get it home to you. If it isn't, we will keep looking. We do not require a down payment in most cases. We feel that is an inconvenience to our customers. We trust our customers when they express interest in a specific vehicle.

6. I don't see my question here

Please contact us and we will provide you with the best answers we can. We'll do our best to keep updating this FAQs page for everyone's benefit.